Word
digression
Phoneticsdi·gres·sion, stress on the second syllable
US/daɪˈɡɹɛʃən/
UK/daɪɡɹˈɛʃən/
Countable & uncountable
Definition
n. a part of a speech or piece of writing that moves away from the main subject for a short time. You use this when you want to tell a side story before returning to your main point.
n. a temporary departure from the main subject in speech or writing. Often used to provide illustrative anecdotes or supplementary information before returning to the primary thesis.
Examples
“After a short digression about his childhood, the speaker returned to the main topic.”
“The professor's lecture was full of interesting digressions, though they sometimes made it difficult to follow his central argument.”
“While some readers find the author's frequent digressions into local history distracting, others argue that these narrative detours provide essential texture to the novel's setting.”
Examples
simple
“After a short digression about his childhood, the speaker returned to the main topic.”
contextual
“The professor's lecture was full of interesting digressions, though they sometimes made it difficult to follow his central argument.”
complex
“While some readers find the author's frequent digressions into local history distracting, others argue that these narrative detours provide essential texture to the novel's setting.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “digression” in context.
Verb
01. avoid digression
“To stay within the time limit, you must avoid digression and stick to the facts.”
verb + noun
02. digression occurs
“A frequent digression occurs whenever the author mentions his political views.”
noun + verb
03. embark on digression
“The professor is prone to embark on a digression at the slightest provocation.”
verb + prep + noun
04. pardon digression
“Please pardon this digression, but I feel this anecdote is relevant to our discussion.”
verb + noun
05. permit digression
“The formal structure of the debate does not permit any digression from the motion.”
verb + noun
Adjective
06. brief digression
“After a brief digression into his childhood, the speaker returned to the main topic.”
adj + noun
07. lengthy digression
“The lecture was marred by several lengthy digressions that confused the students.”
adj + noun
08. unnecessary digression
“The editor cut out several unnecessary digressions to keep the narrative focused.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. point of digression
“This specific detail served as the starting point of a long digression.”
noun + prep + noun
10. apologize for the digression
“I must apologize for the digression; I got a bit carried away with the story.”
11. lead to a digression
“One small comment about the budget can lead to a major digression.”
12. return from a digression
“Let us now return from this digression to the central theme of the essay.”
Usage
Commonly used with the verbs 'make' or 'embark on'.
Real-World Examples
“Early in the Iliad, Homer’s epic poem about the legendary Trojan War, there occurs a famous digression known as the catalogue of ships, which names all the Greek leaders and contingents who came to fight at Troy.” “Conversation about the work of the Gates Foundation, with a digression on Bitcoin and a coda on artificial intelligence.” “During one election campaign, party officials warned journalists not to mention opinion poll statistics in front of him for fear the arithmetical digression would wreck a whole day's schedule.” “Trump mostly sticks to script, avoids typical digressions” Etymology
From Old French digressiun or disgressiun, from Latin dīgressiōnem, itself from dīgressus (the past participle of dīgredior, "to step away") plus the abstract noun suffix -iō. The Latin verb compounds dis- ("apart") with gradior ("to step, walk, go").
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Rare
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/digression